Till the Clock Strikes
by Morbidly Obscure
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a boy and a demon... Twelve fairytale-based ficlets centering around Ciel and Sebastian. Slash in some chapters; implied slash in most. COMPLETE!
1. Cinderella

**Hello, darlings! Am I the only one that's noticed Kuroshitsuji and fairy tales go _really_ well together? Well anyway, here's the first of twelve in a series of story-based Kuro ficlets. For the most part, they'll be short, but hopefully enjoyable. The fairy-tale elements will be used in various ways; they can be played straight, subverted, twisted, or left out completely. They follow a loose sort of chronology, but it's not really that important what order they're read in.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji**

**Okay, I think that about covers everything. Please read, enjoy, and of course, review!**

**I. Cinderella**

Ciel held his chin high as Sebastian slid the clear, glittering boot up his stockinged foot and calf. The shoe was cold, hard, and unyielding; it confined Ciel's foot in a cage of glass. The child met his servant's smirking eyes evenly.

_Well? _Those vermillion eyes seemed to say, _isn't this what you wanted?_

When the second boot was in place, Ciel hopped from the bed to the floor, stomping his feet down with more violence than was strictly necessary. He made sure not to let his stolid expression slide when the shoes did not shatter.

"Surely," Ciel drawled with carefully affected laziness, "these cannot be made of glass."

"Now, what would a Phantomhive butler be," Sebastian said, tracking Ciel's wobbly, labored steps with no small amount of intent, "if he couldn't meet such a simple request."

A simple request; _I want glass slippers, Sebastian_. Ciel had never expected Sebastian to succeed in providing Ciel with the shoes—that was the whole _point,_ damn it—but here they were. How annoying.

"Well. They'd better not break at the ball," Ciel muttered, for lack of anything else to complain about.

"You have my word," Sebastian said, and Ciel would swear he saw a flash of pointed canine.

"Good," Ciel turned sharply on the glass heel, tramping out to his waiting carriage with all the stoicism and dignity possible for one teetering along in shoes made of glass. Sebastian followed behind, a perfectly obeisant shadow whose slight, cordial smile was not in the _least_ bit mocking.

**OoO**

_Crrrrr-ack, CRRSH!_

Ciel's left boot shattered against Sebastian's skull.

A whole evening of getting complimented on his_ marvelously singular _footwear while he smiled politely through his pain, and Ciel was about ready to stab Sebastian with one of the sparkling shards that now lay perilously over the floor of his bedroom. He knew it wouldn't do any good though; the only reason he'd managed to strike Sebastian with his impulsively hurled shoe was because Sebastian had let it happen. Still, it improved Ciel's foul mood by some margin. He watched with morbid satisfaction as ruby liquid oozed from a laceration in Sebastian's neck. The substance was a good mimicry of human blood, but Ciel noted that it was a bit too dark and sluggish to pass close inspection. He wanted to touch it.

Sebastian, surprised, put a gloved hand over the cut. A perfect butler to the core, Sebastian didn't think it proper to let his young master see such an unseemly part of himself.

"Glass slippers," Ciel muttered contemptuously as he leaned back against the down pillows on his bed, cut and blistered feet still dangling over the edge "what a ridiculous idea."

All of a sudden, Sebastian was kneeling before Ciel, clutching Ciel's hand in his own larger one.

"Every request, every desire, no matter how 'ridiculous,'" the black-clad butler said with eyes that burned with red firelight, "I will fulfill all of them. That is my job. Until the clock strikes its final chime."

Ciel allowed a small, bitter smile grace his face as pain radiated from his feet. "Until my carriage turns into a hearse, huh?"

"If that is how you wish to see it."

"Then you'd better promise," Ciel's mismatched eyes shone with some emotion that even Sebastian couldn't place. "I want to hear you say it."

"Yes, my lord."


	2. Snow White

**II. Snow White**

Ciel was in a stubbornly indolent mood. He'd spent the day lazing on the velvet-upholstered fainting couch in his parlor, a Sheridan LeFanu novella opened before him. In the dim lamplight, Ciel's skin was translucently pale beside his gray vest and knickerbockers; creamy cheeks, casually propped elbows, knobby angled knees, and curved slender calves stood out even in comparison to his off-white blouse.

Sebastian took a moment to take in the simple aesthetic value of the scene. The yellow light took hold of the brass buttons on Ciel's vest, and curtain of down-tilted, blue-black bangs obscured the expression of discontented intensity that occupied Ciel's face even in his most relaxed moments. All the same, it was a scene that had to be broken.

"Would the young master care to eat at any point today?"

Now Ciel glanced up, single sapphire eye regarding Sebastian languorously. In the briefest of motions, the boy's petal-pink tongue traced the plump crescent of his lower lip. It did not escape Sebastian's notice.

"Feed me."

"That may prove difficult," Sebastian returned without skipping a beat, "I've prepared—"

"I don't give a damn what you've prepared," Ciel interjected in bored tones, turning his attention back to his book, "bring me something sweet. And feed it to me."

Sebastian decided that it would be best to indulge his master and gave a curt bow. "As you wish."

Ciel gave no sign of having heard as Sebastian left the room.

**OoO**

When the butler returned a few moments later, he carried with him two silver bowls: one ringed with de-seeded apple slices, and the other filled with warmed caramel. Caramel, incidentally, was one of Ciel's favorite things, but that was not what he was focusing on. No, Ciel was staring at the entirely un-extraordinary apples.

Rose red skin and snow white flesh; the apple was the fruit of sin. Forbidden knowledge, immortality, temptation, and sin. All in an innocuous ball of juice and sweetness. Although, maybe not so innocuous when Sebastian was the server...

"_Faust_ in English, 'The Devil's Trill' in Music, _Histoire Admirable _in French, and now this," Ciel pronounced with cool disdain, "your jokes are stale already, Sebastian."

"Pardon?" Sebastian replied with breezy innocence. He dipped the first apple slice in the caramel, coating it perfectly so that not a spot was untouched by golden-brown topping, yet no excess dripped.

Ciel rolled his visible eye. He would get nothing out of Sebastian on the matter, and he did find Sebastian's little attempts to unsettle him droll in a way. Getting old quickly, but still clever enough. In any case, it was a bit late in the game for Ciel to shy away from damnation. He opened his mouth wide.

In slipped the slice, and cool, tart juice exploded under Ciel's teeth. The Fruit of Sin, Ciel decided, tasted lovely, especially when the poison was all sugared over with caramel.


	3. Goldilocks

**Thanks for the reviews guys, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint—review and lemme know :)**

**III. Goldilocks**

The child's eyes were cold and hard as ice as the young man before him screamed in pain.

"Another," he dictated coolly, so Sebastian smiled and broke a third finger.

There were tears rolling down the man's cheeks now; they glistened in the moonlight, silver to compliment the gold of his hair. Sebastian took a moment to appreciate this unlikely flash of beauty, but Ciel wasn't invested in the aesthetics of the scene. Earlier that evening, the Earl and his butler had returned from a bit of business in town to find a break-in had been attempted on the mansion. A considerable number of men were involved—Sebastian would know, since he'd just finished burying the last of them—but this blond fellow was the only one still alive at the time of their arrival. It was Sebastian who'd suggested that they take matters outside, so as not to make a mess of the parlour.

Now, Ciel sat at the patio table, where he sometimes took his tea on sunny days, with one leg crossed neatly over the other. It was far past his bedtime, and while Sebastian was wary of letting their present activity drag much longer into the night, he was willing to pardon this break in his little lord's routine.

"Are you ready to answer my questions?" Ciel leaned forward, as though merely expressing polite interest in his current guest's reply, "Or do you need a bit more incentive?"

The kneeling man stared at the boy, bug-eyed, then back up at Sebastian, who'd removed his tailcoat for the sake of convenience. The butler responded to the look with a most pleasant smile that seemed to hold genuine cheer. In the faint, silvery light, Ciel's cerulean eye flashed with barely restrained excitement; clearly, he was enjoying the situation more than his neutral demeanor let on.

"We was just lookin' for valuables," the man gasped out, voice garbled by pain, "We didn't know you had a goddam army guardin' the place!"

At the latter statement, a feline smirk curved Ciel's lips upward. "What a ridiculous thing to say. I don't employ an army. I have three servants to guard my home; no more, no less." Ciel met Sebastian's amused glance before sobering. "But that's neither here nor there," Ciel's eyes narrowed as he regarded the blond, "what I want to know is who you're working for. Who sent you, and what were your orders? Was I to be kidnapped? Killed? Were you to truly finish off the Phantomhive line?"

"What? I—I don't—"

"Sebastian."

"Aaa_IIIIiii!_"

The man's humerus snapped in half between Sebastian's vice-like hands. It was a messy break, and stark white bone gleamed under a cold orb of moon. The man, clearly in shock, regarded the now-visible shard of bone with glassy, uncomprehending eyes. Ciel took advantage of the lucid moment to repeat his question.

"Who. Sent. You?"

"T'was just a robbery," the man said in a dull monotone.

"Young master, I see no point in drawing out this game," Sebastian said, "I do not believe this man is guilty of anything other than intruding where he doesn't belong."

"It's as I thought, then," Ciel sighed, "well, he and his friends picked the wrong home to invade."

"Please, what are you going to do with me?" The man gibbered. It was clear that the pain had yet to fully set in, but he was already growing panicked.

"That's a good question," Ciel replied. "Sebastian, do we have enough tallow for the time being?"

Sebastian smiled. "I picked up this month's supply earlier in the week. I'm afraid our stock is very much full."

"Ah, well," Ciel sighed, standing up from the chair and brushing off his clothes, "I suppose the sterling roses could always use a bit more fertilizer."

"Of course, my lord," Sebastian bowed and prepared to walk his young charge inside. As an afterthought, he turned to look the now-prostrate man in his pain-dilated eyes, "Pardon me. I must put my master to bed, but I promise to return momentarily."

As he strode across the pebble-covered path to the mansion, Ciel dared a glance back at the huddled whimpering man, with his broken bones and flaxen hair. "Why is it," Ciel muttered, "that people insist on sticking their noses where they are not welcome?"

"Human nature, I suppose," Sebastian answered easily.

"Hmph," Ciel replied simply, "I don't like it."


	4. Little Red Riding Hood

**This was probably my favorite chapter to write :D Please review!**

**IV. Little Red Riding Hood**

"Young master, if I may speak freely, I'm concerned about the impression this may make at the races."

"I do not care in the slightest what gossip-mongers may say of me," Ciel replied in a self-satisfied drawl, "and neither do you."

Sebastian regarded his smirking master, lips and eyes carefully flat so as not to betray any emotion. "And what precisely is the reason for this?"

"No reason in _particular_," Ciel replied, fingering the length of shiny silver chain in his hand, "it's just that sometimes, dogs need to be reminded of their place."

"I see."

"I'm afraid it's non-negotiable."

Ciel was obviously very pleased with himself. He was wearing red today—Sebastian had never liked that color on Ciel—from his scarlet brocade jacket to his gaiters and the dyed plume of feathers trailing behind his riding hat. Fashion was important when one went to the horse races, and Ciel had been coerced into attending such an event by his fiancee. As such, that wretched Nina Hopkins was called upon to design Ciel's clothes for the day, the result of which—all that damned, bright, ostentatious red that seemed to swallow up Ciel's delicate form and features—was anathema to Sebastian's eyes. However, those articles of clothing were not nearly as repulsive as the one Ciel currently dangling before Sebastian's eyes.

"Of course," Sebastian gathered his energies to pluck the accessory deftly from his employer's hands and smile his thousand-watt smile. "It is a highly...peculiar request, but as always I am happy to comply."

Ciel was unaffected by Sebastian's patronizing tone and applied bravado. He watched with an unrelenting blue eye as Sebastian sighed, unhooked the modified dog collar, and slid the supple leather band around his neck. Ciel let out a breath, ruffling the black fringe of lace that hung over his eye-patch. He tightened his hand around the end of the chain.

"Well. Let's get this over with then," Ciel said after an instant had passed, and for once Sebastian was thinking the exact same thing.

The boy strode through the door and down the stairs at a fast clip. Sebastian followed closely behind, drawn by bonds both physical and supernatural. On the way out of the mansion, Ciel's gave a little hop down the stoop, and the chain went taught. As Ciel yanked the leash, Sebastian suffered the briefest of stumbles. Miniscule as this slip-up was, it gave Ciel a secret thrill. With another tug, Sebastian's unamused face was dragged within an inch of Ciel's smirking countenance.

"Keep up," Ciel breathed. Sebastian met the boy's eye with a steady, emotionless mask that barely concealed the roiling black-and-red animosity simmering beneath the surface.

They carried on like that, a cherub-faced, red-clad child and his captive, collared wolf.


	5. Rapunzel

**Hm...I'm not altogether thrilled with how this chapter turned out, but I swear I tried! /facepalm/ Oh, and the second and final part to my other SebasCiel fic, "Misadventures in Babysitting" will be posted soon :) Happy New Year Everybody! Please enjoy and review!**

**V. Rapunzel**

Ciel leaned his elbows on the crumbling stone base of his single window. His current living arrangements were not ideal, but Ciel doubted that he'd have to put up with them for very long. The old tower stood alone in a long-forgotten portion of forest, a relic left over from some Medieval castle that had perhaps stood on these grounds once upon a time. Now it was rather moldy, musty, damp, dark, hazardous, spiderweb-ridden, rat-infested, and...well, Ciel just wasn't very fond of it.

To distract himself from his abysmal surroundings, Ciel stared out the window at the clear, swirling patterns of stars that dotted the early winter sky. As Ciel idly identified constellations, puffs of breath floated up out of the petite boy into the heavens like ascending souls. On occasion, Ciel's star-watching was interrupted by the agonized screams and garbled speech that resonated from the tower's base. Ciel wouldn't look down though; he knew perfectly well what was going on below, and it would be both unpleasant and tedious to watch. A bit of a shame though; the only aspect of the tower that _wasn't_ dreadful were the wild white roses that grew naturally in a protective ring around it. There would be blood stains on their creamy petals now...such a waste.

Ciel hoped things would wrap up soon; he was growing bored of astronomy. Moreover, it was late, he was quite tired, and of course Ciel couldn't be expected to fall asleep in a place like _this_.

"Young Master, may I come up?" A smooth, clear voice interrupted Ciel's growing impatience. A cursory glance down revealed Sebastian standing beside the lifeless body of Ciel's most recent kidnapper.

"You need to ask?" Ciel snapped back in annoyance, "Get me down already."

"Ah, there you are," Sebastian muttered, barely loud enough for Ciel to hear.

Ciel, who'd turned his gaze back to the sky, did a double-take at Sebastian. The demon had tied a strip of white fabric—most likely from the dead man's shirt—around his eyes like a blindfold. Ciel could just make out two dark red stains dotting the fabric where Sebastian's eyes should have been. The ruby splotches seemed to expand sluggishly as Sebastian scaled the decayed stone wall.

"Please disregard my appearance," Sebastian said, as though reading Ciel's mind, "I sustained a few minor wounds while I was fetching you."

"Tch," Ciel scoffed when he'd gotten over his initial surprise, "you should be more careful. I have no use for a blind butler."

"Of course," Sebastian smiled his understanding. The demon was within touching distance of Ciel now, and he hoisted himself through the window in one liquid movement. Despite his obvious lack of vision, Sebastian seemed to be looking directly at Ciel, and there was that uncanny grin on his face... "Are you ready?"

"Quite," Ciel said, though his nose wrinkled in disgust.

To facilitate their exit, Sebastian picked Ciel up in the accustomed Bridal-style before leaping from the lone window. Ciel fixed his eyes upon the stars for a final time as they descended; the points of light seemed no farther off as Ciel dropped. In Sebastian's arms, Ciel did not feel even the aftershocks of landing, though he could almost sense the solid presence of land close beneath him.

"Once again," Sebastian's eyeless face seemed fond as it tilted down toward Ciel, "my master proves his one true natural talent of getting repeatedly captured."

Ciel scowled. "Has it ever occurred to you," he responded imperiously, "that I might allow myself to be captured simply because it is an inconvenience to you?"

"The thought has crossed my mind."

As Sebastian set Ciel down on the frozen earth, Ciel seized the opportunity to rip Sebastian's hastily-prepared blindfold off. It was perhaps a bit cruel of him, but Ciel thought that seeing Sebastian's bleeding sockets would be amusing. What Ciel saw instead, however, was a familiar pair of smirking, vermillion eyes.

"How—?" Ciel hissed, surprised.

"Oh my," Sebastian beamed, "it seems my wounds were mended by the healing depths of your concern."

"You're a very sarcastic sort of savior," Ciel grumbled under his breath, and Sebastian chuckled.

Ciel looked at the buffer of white roses rustling in the wind, and he wondered if the frost would come tonight and freeze the errant splatters of blood onto their once pure petals, marring them forever. He sort of hoped so.


	6. Puss in Boots

**Now this one was _fun_. It's unusually long, but I couldn't bear to cut anything out. Oh, and this chapter contains genderbend, so if you don't like, don't read...but you'll be missing out :)**

**VI. Puss in Boots**

It was all Sebastian's fault, Ciel thought bitterly, for being such a damned infuriating demon. The butler had been on Ciel's last nerve for quite some time, and Ciel had finally gotten fed up and ordered Sebastian away earlier that week. The affect this had on the Phantomhive household, of course, was chaos, but there was no way in hell that Ciel would beg Sebastian back this early. Besides, it wasn't as if Sebastian was off vacationing in Spain. It was the demon's job to watch over and protect Ciel, even if Ciel wanted nothing to do with him. Evidence of this had come the first day after Sebastian's "firing," in the form of a silky black cat that roamed the borders of the Phantomhive mansion but was utterly elusive to the servants when Ciel ordered them to remove it from the grounds. On several occasions, though, the feline allowed a curious Ciel to come near it, and it did not set off Ciel's allergies in the slightest. It's eyes were hemorrhage red, rather than the typical goldy-green shade.

Tonight, though, Ciel was admittedly apprehensive. In Sebastian's absence, a case from the queen had been bequeathed to Ciel. He was to investigate a prominent nobleman for evidence of implication in the recent cult-related murder of three young girls. Intent on solving the case _without_ Sebastian's aid, thank-you-very-much, Ciel decided to attend a ball at the suspect's estate tonight in order to fulfill his task. His plan was to lay low at the ball until the host—a notorious drinker—was too engaged in merry-making to notice Ciel sneaking upstairs to gather evidence. Ciel would be bringing his favorite cane with the dagger concealed in its top, as well as a gun in the sewn-in pocket of his coat lining.

However, a worrisome presentiment had taken hold of Ciel early in the day and increased through the evening. First off, the cat was no longer skulking about the grounds. Then, there was the outfit laid out on Ciel's bed: The stiff crimson ruffles of a blouse peeked out from under a black velvet frock coat and knickerbockers; the boots were shining black patent leather, tall and heeled with skull-shaped buckles carved from garnet. A blood-red rose sat defiantly beside the outfit, intended for Ciel's buttonhole. Against his better judgment, Ciel had himself dressed in the outfit, silently hoping that he would not regret the decision.

Now, at the ball, Ciel's apprehension persisted. Whispers shot through the ballroom about a German duchess whose carriage crashed on the way to the ball. Allegedly, the driver had been trying to avoid a black cat crossing the road. The gossip sent a slight chill through Ciel.

_What are you planning Sebastian?_

Ciel couldn't worry about that though; he had to focus on the task at hand. He'd been watching the suspect all evening, waiting for an opening. The man spent a great deal of time chatting with young, pretty girls in frilly dresses, though he himself was neither young nor pretty. Ciel, disgusted, wondered if all these old nobles were rotten pedophiles, or if it was only the ones he was forced to associate with. Ciel's observations were interrupted, however, by a tangible wave of intrigue passing through the crowd. A final guest had arrived.

The girl appeared to be about Ciel's age, and strikingly beautiful. Her shining, raven hair was coiled and plaited in some complicated style, but long bangs hung down, framing her face, which was as creamy and fine-featured as a marble Venus. As she removed her fur coat and muff, Ciel saw that the girl wore a midnight black dress of silk so fine and iridescent, it may have been spun from spiderwebs. Blood-red lace bunched at bustle and cascaded down to the floor like frilled lava, and star rubies lined the front of her corset. The scarlet accents matched perfectly her glittering eyes and upturned lips.

Many guests paused to stare at this strange, lovely girl, and Ciel was no exception—albeit for a very different reason. The girl gave no indication of the curious looks (although Ciel would swear she was enjoying them,) as she breezed across the room, totally confident despite her lack of escorts. Everything about her, from the arch of her eyebrows to the wickedness lurking in her eyes, was familiar to Ciel. He knew that under those black lace kid-gloves, one would find blackened fingernails and a lilac-hued symbol of the arcane.

She made a beeline for the host, and Ciel trailed behind as casually as possible to listen in on their conversation.

"And who might this be?"

"Lucinda Für, sir. The duchess's daughter."

"Ah yes, I heard about the carriage accident. I was worried you wouldn't be able to make it."

"Not for the world! My mother is staying at a hotel, but I wouldn't hear of it."

"I must confess, I did not know that the duchess had a daughter, and if I had I wouldn't have expected her to be so lovely."

"Oh, you flatter me dreadfully!"

The girl's giggle was lost to Ciel's ears as a crowd of revelers separated him from the pair. By the time Ciel had them back in his sights, they were sipping from champagne flutes and edging off toward one of the hallways that stemmed from the main ballroom. Ciel squeezed through dancers to follow the bantering duo to what Ciel presumed to be a guest room. They shut the door behind them, but through the keyhole, Ciel had a fine view of the chintz lounger that the girl settled on. The man excused himself to the adjoining bathroom, and the girl smirked at his back. Ciel watched as she hiked up the heavy fabric of her dress and the framework of her bustle to reveal a lithe, ivory thigh encircled by a black garter. From the frills of the garter, she produced a clear glass vial, which she opened and tipped into the man's champagne flute. As Ciel watched, transfixed, the girl looked up from her work into the keyhole and winked. Ciel blushed for no discernible reason and headed back to the party before his absence could be missed.

**OoO**

"Will the Earl of Phantomhive honor me with a dance?"

Judging by the beaming, black-haired waif before him, Ciel could assume that the host of the ball was still unconscious, and proper evidence against him had been obtained. Some nearby dancers were looking at him with interest now, though, so he smiled his most polite smile and said,

"The honor will be all mine."

The ravenette was light in his arms; supple and supernaturally graceful. Ciel held her with all the necessary firmness, moved with all the proper authority, and did not step on her feet. They turned in endless circles.

"So, Miss Lucinda—"

"Please, call me Lucy."

"Lucy Fur, huh?" Ciel muttered, trying not to sound amused.

"You're accent is appalling Earl, but I'm prepared to forgive you," the girl murmured said with a glittering little laugh. When Ciel opened his mouth to speak again, she shushed him. "No more conversation. It ruins the moment."

Ciel rolled his eye but complied. The girl's head fit perfectly beneath his pointed chin; her exotic, coal-black lashes tickled his neck.

The dance ended when the clock chimed. Ciel hadn't realized he was closing his eyes until he opened them. It was on the next chime that he realized he was holding, not a girl, but a sleek black cat. It purred contentedly in Ciel's arms, peering up at him with half-lidded ruby eyes. Ciel regarded the creature for a moment before sighing, tucking it into his jacket, and bringing it out to the carriage with him. He even let the cat curl in a ball on his lap as the carriage made its way back to the Phantomhive manor.

The next morning, Sebastian was waking Ciel up at the accustomed time with the accustomed breakfast and his accustomed grin, as though absolutely nothing had happened.

**OoO**

**Hey, if girl!Ciel is "Little Robin," then girl!Sebastian must be "Little Raven" :D Oh, and if you didn't get it, Lucy Fur=Lucifer; probably didn't need to explain it, but I'm paranoid like that. Please review!**


	7. Beauty and the Beast

**Ah, a very short chapter...sorry. Please review regardless—even if it's just to yell at me :)**

**OoO**

The clicking of tiny boots alerted Sebastian to the fact that a certain young master was ignoring his insistence that Ciel _stay hidden_ until instructed otherwise.

"Sebastian."

Almost unwillingly, Sebastian turned. The boy stared up at him, torn frock coat rippling gently in the wind and milk white legs trembling from a combination of cold, blood loss, and adrenaline. He clutched the eye patch in one hand and regarded Sebastian with calm, calculating eyes, mismatched though they were. Ciel was a little boy doll—empty-eyed and slightly broken, but none the less beautiful.

"Young master, you were never supposed to see..." Sebastian's voice was notably rougher than usual, with a sibilant hiss emphasizing his "S"s.

"So this is how you really are?" Ciel cocked his head to the side, and a little grin, lovely and eerie as moonlight, crossed his face, "If I had you stripped naked in front of me, it would never reveal as much as what I'm seeing now."

"This is how I really am," Sebastian agreed, slitted eyes smoldering unholy purple.

Ciel took a few steps closer, suede boot-tops dipping into puddles of carnage as he went. The grin had faded, but the boys lips were still curled up slightly at the corners. "How beastly."

"Quite. I would think a small child such as yourself would be frightened."

Ciel did not go for the jibe, but he gave a slight gasp as a gust of wind hit the partially exposed knife-wound on his arm. In this state, Sebastian was unable to suppress a vivid fantasy of sinking his teeth into that gash and clamping his jaws until rubbery muscle and brittle bone tore and crunched beneath them. Ciel was too distracted to see Sebastian run his blackened tongue over his hard, beak-like lips.

"I've lost quite a lot of blood," Ciel said with pragmatic detachment, "you'll need to support me."

With a harsh, keening little laugh Sebastian took the boy carefully in his arms. His gentle treatment of the petite earl was directly at odds with his monstrous appearance. Ciel's arms and legs wound around Sebastian's neck and waist as though it was the most natural thing in the world. The soft skin of Ciel's thighs provided an almost perfect contrast to the leathery hide they settled against. Sebastian felt Ciel's smooth cheek rest upon his collar bone, practically snuggling against the spot.

"You are a very strange child," Sebastian commented, half-mocking, half-wondering.

"And you a very strange beast," Ciel returned calmly.


	8. Hansel and Gretel

**VIII. Hansel and Gretel**

The garden was lovely in the spring sunshine, and Lizzie had insisted that she and Ciel have their afternoon tea amongst the roses. When the sweet-and-scone laden table was set up and the chairs were put out, the scene was perfect. Ciel had been forced once again to dress to Lizzie's standards, which on this day consisted of a powder-blue vest over a ruffled shirt that tucked into cream colored riding pants. The pants in particular irritated Ciel; the fabric seemed to billow about his skinny thighs, and there were these embarrassing little blue bows at the hips and calves where the pants slimmed out and tucked into matching blue gaiters; the shiny ivory boot tips seemed to twinkle in the sunlight, and Ciel intentionally scuffed them about on the ground. He so loathed these tea parties with his fiance, for they always involved him being dressed up like some insipid little doll. Even his _eye patch_ had been replaced by a twin with a robin's egg hue.

It was almost poetic justice, then, when Lizzie's hand slipped on the precariously-balanced sweet tray and sent a _gateau au chocolat fondant_ plopping down on the skirts of her dress. Ciel followed the confection on its trajectory and frowned once it had landed; what a waste of a perfectly good dessert.

"Oh no!" Lizzie cried as warm fudge seeped from the center of the cake into the fabric, "My dress!"

"Don't you worry Miss Elizabeth," Maylene hopped to attention right away, "we'll get you fixed up. Come with me, and I'll clean you up so well, no one will know there was a stain."

Ciel watched apathetically as the maid lead his sniffling fiance back down the path to the mansion. The layers of mint green taffeta and candy-floss pink frills that formed Lizzie's skirt swayed as she walked, looking every inch like tiers of a cake. Ciel sighed; tea would have to be delayed. Unless...

"Sebastian, won't you please sit down?"

Seabastian, who'd been standing impassively at Ciel's side, was surprised, both by his young lord's invitation and uncharacteristic politeness. "Pardon?"

"I would like to take my tea," Ciel explained plainly, "and with Maylene assisting Lizzie, she may not be back for hours, so I am asking that you kindly fill my fiance's place until she returns."

Sebastian was fascinated by this turn of events. Ciel was inviting him to tea and, as etiquette dictated, treating him with all the necessary respect and courtesy. It was a bit like a game of playing pretend on both their parts, and of course Sebastian couldn't refuse. "It would be my honor."

Ciel watched Sebastian as subtlety as possible while the dark-haired man sat and sipped gingerly out of Lizzie's abandoned teacup. Sebastian himself had selected the tea—Jasmine—but how did it really taste to the man, who only appeared human? As Ciel pondered this, he chose a small slice of black forest cake for his plate; it was all velvet and darkness in his mouth. Sebastian, following Ciel's lead, selected an innocuous little petit four from the platter and nibbled at it. It was amusing to see the ever-composed Sebastian approaching a simple tea-table with all the uncertainty of a foreigner in an unfamiliar country. Ciel wondered if the food was like ashes to Sebastian's tongue, or if he would have to regurgitate it later. Too bad, either way. Ciel smirked but covered it up with his napkin; it was important for a gentleman to display the utmost decorum to his guests, even if the guest in question happened to be a demon.

Soon, however, Ciel's focus drifted from Sebastian to his present endeavors. As he ate his cake and sipped his tea, he became aware of...a prickling. Yes, Ciel definitely felt the strange, hot feeling of eyes pinned to him. Ciel poured himself some more tea from the pot and used the opportunity to just barely glance up. Just as he thought; Sebastian was no longer partaking in tea or treats, but staring directly at Ciel with startling intensity. Now what could ever have made such a strange look come into the butler's eyes, and why were those crimson orbs fixed intently on Ciel?

A wave of curiosity overtook Ciel, quickly followed by one of mischief. Upon finishing his cake, Ciel decided upon his second pastry—an eclair. With the dessert poised in his nimble fingers, Ciel experimentally licked the length of its frosted side, tasting the chocolate icing upon his tongue. He could feel those eyes burning holes in his his head. Slowly, he took the tip of the eclair into his mouth and bit down with infinite delicacy. Chew slow, swallow slow. Ciel slipped his tongue inside the pastry and let the mound of off-white cream he'd scooped up show in the curl of his pinkish-red muscle before taking it in and swallowing it down. Once finished, Ciel looked up almost coyly at Sebastian through his lashes and saw those carmine irises burning like hellfire into his own. Ciel opened his mouth to say..._something_, but then—

"Ciel! I'm back!"

Sebastian was out of the chair and by Ciel's side with inhuman speed. Lizzie did not even notice that her space had been temporarily filled. The girl sat down, curls bouncing like spun sugar, and tea continued as usual. Except it wasn't. Ciel squirmed in his seat, for those eyes were still on him. He didn't feel curious or mischievous or excited anymore—he was thoroughly unnerved. He'd identified the thing that had made Sebastian's eyes simmer and smolder and burn like hot coals: it was hunger. Pure, simple, predatory hunger. The man had looked like a starved wolf ready to pounce, or a hawk eying a plump mouse from afar; ravenous. As Ciel chewed his sweets, he couldn't help but feel that he was the one about to be thrown in the oven and devoured.


	9. Alice in Wonderland

**Okay, rather intense chapter. May I just reassert that this story is Ciel/Sebastian, and thus SLASH and SHOTA? Good. Now that that's out of the way...**

**IX. Alice in Wonderland**

It had all started with a book.

Or rather, with a fever. One miserable morning, Ciel found himself bed-ridden with illness, forbidden from getting up by Sebastian to avoid agitating his condition. Well, the young Earl had not been happy and so had spent the majority of his morning making Sebastian feel approximately as miserable as he did. In an effort to entertain the boy and earn thus earn himself some peace, Sebastian decided to read Ciel a story: _Alice in Wonderland._

Ciel gave a weak cry of protest when Sebastian stretched out beside him on the bed, as though it was the most natural thing in the world. Ciel was in no place to argue, however, and he let his eyelids flicker closed as Sebastian began to read aloud. As the smooth, dark cadence of Sebastian's voice filled the sick room, Ciel remained unresponsive, as though sleeping, but he was secretly absorbing every word that flowed forth from the demon's mouth. It must have been evening when Sebastian recited the last words, removed himself from the bed, bowed, and left the room. As Sebastian was getting up, Ciel had felt the strangest urge to cling to the butler's arm, forcing him to stay. However, Ciel was too tired to do anything of the sort, and besides, it was a ridiculous notion.

When Ciel drifted off to sleep, his mind was racked with fevered dreams: falling through an abyss with no one to catch him, thrashing and gagging as he drowned in a bitter salt-water pool, choking on tea laced with cyanide, walking up to a guillotine with hands tied behind his back...

**OoO**

The next day, Ciel's fever broke. Life in the Phantomhive manor was business as usual, but for Ciel everything was different. He felt as though the fever had been a wildfire that blazed him, leaving his body and brain burnt in some places, chilled in others, and irrevocably changed throughout. Days passed, and he said very little, but there was a greater level of intensity brewing in his oceanic eye; a fresh look of lucidity.

Something in Ciel Phantomhive had changed.

Naturally, Sebastian took notice. Ciel's silence was an indication, but mostly he could just see that his young lord had gone through some sort of transformation; a new aura seemed to crackle around the boy like lightening. Sebastian, though immensely talented, was not a mind reader, and could only guess at what this meant. What Sebastian _did_ know was that Ciel had taken to watching him. The butler could feel that electric blue gaze aimed at him, hard and unrelenting as the barrel of a gun.

It was like electricity in the air before a thunderstorm—Sebastian could sense that _something_ was on the verge of happening; he just had to be patient.

The storm clouds burst one morning when Sebastian went to wake Ciel up, only to find his young lord fully conscious in bed. There was an odd tension radiating from the boy's body, and a feral-animal heat burned in his eyes. The contract mark was shamelessly exposed, and it seemed to pulse upon Ciel's iris like a misplaced heart. Not a word was said, however, as Sebastian strode around the bed and pulled back the curtains.

"For today's breakfast, I've prepared—"

Sebastian never got to finish his statement, for as he turned to face the bed, Ciel simply _pounced_ him. Bare, twig-like legs clamped around Sebastian's waist, securing Ciel in place. Filed nails dug into the shoulders of his tailcoat, and Sebastian felt a demanding pair of lips smash into his own. Low growls and sharp keens issued from Ciel's throat as Sebastian responded in kind.

Who was this lithe little beast that writhed like a live flame in Sebastian's arms? This fervid creature of hunger and passion was surely not the Ciel Phantomhive whom Sebastian had known. No, not hardly. Ciel had found his way down the rabbit hole, and now he'd emerged as something very different...and infinitely more glorious.

**OoO**

_Oh, **God**, yes. No, not God, cause God's not here...never was...but **damn**, more, yes._

Ciel's thoughts were a mad jumble as Sebastian's un-gloved hands roamed over his squirming body. This was what he wanted, what he'd chosen. It was that book that did it; it was meant for children, Sebastian had said, but Ciel begged to differ. What was the damned thing about, really? A doe-eyed, child falling from grace and stumbling through a new world as her perfect innocence cracked and crumbled away, piece by piece, like a fractured egg shell.

Innocence, Ciel knew, was highly overrated. It was an inconvenience, a shackle, a blindfold. He was glad to have rid himself of the nuisance year's ago. But he hadn't, really. Ciel saw that now. His eyes had been opened, and now he was ready to complete his transformation. When this last, nagging bit of innocence was gone, he would be free.

_Yes, yes, take it away from me. Take my pure-white roses and paint them damnation-red. Hurry, do it now!_

Ciel practically _snarled _against Sebastian's bare chest. He was not a patient person. He threw his hips up and let them slam back down on the bed covers. The hitch in Sebastian's breath that followed was a nice result, but Ciel wanted so much _more_. He was on the edge, he could feel it, and he wanted _so, so, __**so**_badly to tip over, to fall screaming into oblivion.

But Sebastian tore himself away, and Ciel was _fully_ ready to make his servant _pay_ for the indiscretion—_Off with his __**head!—**_when...

_Oh, **Oh! **That's better. Yes, **Eat Me**, then **Drink Me**, in that order...More, more, **more;** A pathetic little Alice to a Blood-Red King. Always more, Until...until—_

"_Aaaou__**AAA**__! Sebas-__**TIAN!"**_

Rage, pain, anguish, joy, relief, and pleasure. It is release, pure and simple. Ciel has never felt more like a pious-man, freeing himself through atonement. Except this is not atonement—it's the exact opposite. Ciel doesn't care. He is empty now, in the most marvelous way. Ciel has become something greater, that he knows, a creature somewhere between human and demon. He is damned.


	10. Aladdin and the Lamp

**We're nearing the end...**

**X. Aladdin and the Lamp**

"_Dijinns, sometimes called Genies, are creatures made of smoke and flame. They are a third species of life neither human nor angel; they are oft referred to as demons by the masses. Dijinns are extremely powerful beings capable of granting any wish. But **be warned**: Dijinns are cunning and extremely dangerous. The price they demand for their services is always higher than one can truly afford..."_

Ciel stumbled upon this passage at some dreadful little soiree he'd once been forced to attend. In an attempt to escape the mindless prattle and gossip, the young earl had sought out his host's library. The book was an old one, ornately decorated but reeking of dust. Ciel had not been surprised to find such a volume; literature on the occult was as common in the libraries of the nobility as were cockroaches in the basements of workhouses.

Upon reading the snippet, Ciel had outright laughed. Thankfully, only shelves of silent books were present to witness such an event. Ciel quickly replaced the volume in favor of an Edgar Allen Poe anthology. Now why should the Earl of Phantomhive waste his valuable time with such pointless admonitions?

**OoO**

"Are you frightened?" Sebastian demanded neutrally, but with genuine curiosity.

"Now what kind of a stupid question is that?" Ciel demanded. His voice was blank as blotting paper.

"It is merely a question, Young Master," Sebastian smiled gently, "do you intend on answering it?"

"No," Ciel replied. He glanced off disinterestedly.

"No, you don't wish to answer?" Sebastian reiterated. He'd expected as much from his proud charge.

"No."

Sebastian's eyebrows went up. He wondered if the boy was being intentionally difficult, as always. Honestly, at this point in the game, he expected Ciel to be past that sort of pettiness. "No...?"

"No, I am not afraid," Ciel snapped. He seemed frustrated, as though his answer should have been obvious, and Sebastian was completely _daft_ to need clarification. "Why in the world should I be?"

Sebastian was admittedly a touch surprised. Contrary to Ciel's apathetic attitude, this was not a normal reaction. It was genuine, though, as Sebastian could not sense so much as a touch of bravado in Ciel's person. "It is the natural way."

"How cowardly," Ciel snorted, "what right have I to be squeamish about my end of the bargain when you have granted all my wishes? I am a selfish creature, but I am not so pathetic."

"Indeed," Sebastian shook his head as a faint sense of pride struck him, "you're quite a paragon of honor, Ciel Phantomhive."

Ciel did not flinch at the former servant's use of his given name, nor did he mind how Sebastian seemed to relish the syllables. It felt...only proper that they should be on equal terms now. His cobalt eye shifted away once again. "Honor is just arrogance dressed up with rhetoric," the boy said distractedly, "so yes. I'm very honorable."

"I suppose I shall never truly understand you," Sebastian clicked his tongue ruefully, "it's such a pity."

Now, Ciel met the demon's claret eyes firmly. "It is as simple as this, Sebastian: I am content. You have done your job admirably, and I have every intention of fulfilling my part of the contract to the best of my ability. If you have such a hard time understanding that, you must truly be touched in the head."

Now, Sebastian chuckled, and there was a faint lament present in the sound. "Oh, Young Master. This world will certainly be a less interesting place without you in it."

"Well," Ciel's resolute expression melted into a smirk, "I suppose that's just too bad for you."


	11. The Little Mermaid

**It's been a while, hasn't it? I've been a little back-logged on writing for a while—first there was no inspiration, then there was lots of inspiration but no time, and finally the Flu from Hell, as my family and I are calling it. Plus, I've been inexcusably lazy and distracted. However, I've gotten back into the rhythm and am planning a number of new fics for this fandom.**

**...But I'll stop rambling now :)**

**XI. The Little Mermaid**

Clear crystals of water clung to Ciel's dark hair and lashes; it dripped down his cheeks in artificial tear tracks. His waterlogged body hung heavier than usual in Sebastian's arms and soaked through the dark fabric of his tailcoat. Sebastian laid Ciel down on the green grass of the bank and wondered what would kill him in the end—the bullet wound in his side or the water in his lungs. It was only a matter of time, and Sebastian had plenty. He waited, and as he waited, he thought.

Had ever such a creature as Ciel Phantomhive walked the earth?

As Sebastian looked at the pale, prone body with something oddly akin to tenderness, it was with the knowledge that he would never again gaze upon such a fascinating human, such a perfect soul. The thought made Sebastian lick his lips, but it also sent a pang through his rented body. Sebastian likened the sensation to a sword passing through him—painful, but not nearly deadly. He was made of tougher stuff.

Today marked the end of an especially interesting and entertaining game. One of the best Sebastian had ever played. He wondered idly what he might agree to give to draw it out just a bit more, but it was a moot point; demons, like humans, desired many things, but they had nothing to trade.

Sebastian's pondering was broken when Ciel's ocean-blue eye opened wide. He jerked up, coughing and spitting salt water in a most undignified fashion. The game was over now, save for a bit of ceremony—Sebastian did so love his dramatics—and Ciel was ready. That much was clear to Sebastian. Indeed, what might Sebastian sacrifice only to find that Ciel was sick of playing with him? But once again, Sebastian had nothing to trade, and anyway, he wasn't by nature altruistic.

It was a nice sort of sting to wonder, "what if," though. Poignant like salt water. Painful and lovely like dancing on glass.

As Ciel blinked up at him with resigned curiosity, Sebastian sighed. Time now, to move on. In very little time at all, Ciel Phantomhive will be thoroughly dead, and Sebastian Michealis will cease to exist—dissolved like sea foam in the oceans of time.


	12. Sleeping Beauty

Ciel Phantomhive was, indisputably, beautiful. With his cherub's face, wide blue eye, and soft dark hair, the boy looked more like a Botticelli angel than a real life person. Sebastian, though, had always found Ciel to be particularly lovely when the child was sleeping. When Ciel slept, those Cupid's bow lips settled in a serene pout, rather than their accustomed scowl, and they did not open to snap out commands or criticisms. In repose, Ciel's attained a tranquility that he had likely never experienced since the death of his parents. He also looked startlingly young and vulnerable. And Sebastian loved it.

Ciel was sleeping now. Not lying down on his canopy bed, as usual, but sitting on a stone bench. His head nodded off to one side, and his little feet dangled over the edge, not quite touching the ground. Sebastian, knowing that he would not wake the child, ran his ungloved fingers through Ciel's silvery-dark hair, pushing the bangs back so he could see more clearly that beatific face. The eye patch lay forgotten on the ground, obsolete in its purpose. Those long, coal-black lashes rested like tired butterflies on Ciel's paler-than-ever cheeks.

Now Sebastian stroked those cheeks with his left hand, the one whose contract mark was fading like an old ink stain. He was careful to be gentle, of course; Ciel was a little porcelain doll, as fragile as he was pretty. Sebastian leaned down now, to press his lips against each of Ciel's eyelids. The black butterflies jumped and resettled, but Ciel did not stir under Sebastian's touches; he was sleeping far too deeply.

The demon's admiring gaze drifted to Ciel's button nose, then to his pale blue lips. Those full lips hung slightly open, as though Ciel was sighing. Sebastian tilted Ciel's face up and claimed them, sliding his tongue through the gap to explore the moist, cold cavern of Ciel's mouth. He worked the cool, plush lips under his own. Ciel's long lashes mingled with Sebastian's own, and their noses bumped due to Ciel's own inability to readjust.

As Sebastian pulled away, a thrill of excitement went through him. Time passed differently in this place, that is, if it passed at all. The white rose in Ciel's buttonhole would never wilt, and Ciel would remain on this bench, unchanged and beautiful for all the years to come. And yes, Ciel was truly Sebastian's now. Angel face, swan neck, baby-bird collar bone, and every inch of lithe white body under that neat black suit—all his.

His little one, his pretty doll, his sleeping beauty,

And nothing would wake him,

For all eternity.


	13. Ever After

**I have no excuse for keeping you guys waiting; I have literally had this chapter complete and rotting on my flash drive for months. The problem was, I totally lost my drive to write, so I didn't touch my flash drive at all. Please forgive me?**

**Anyway, this is the epilogue. It is meant to be ambiguous; it can mean whatever you think or want it to mean. It can be the end of the story, or it can stand on its own. I'm sad to be putting the final chapter on this fic, since it was so wonderful to write and see your responses. I have a ton of ideas for new fanfictions, and I seem to be getting my motivation back. Fingers crossed :)**

**Thank you all, and please review!**

**OoO**

**Epilogue: Ever After**

The lazy little stream burbled over Ciel's toes, creating eddies around the stubby digits. Ciel watched it, kicked lightly at shiny-scaled fish that tried to nibble his toe-tips. He knotted his fingers in the long green grass he sat on, soft as a cushion beneath him. The sun shone down, but it was neither too hot nor too bright.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you?" The smooth voice—half-polite, half-playful—came from Ciel's side, just a few feet away.

"Yes," Ciel replied honestly. He turned to face the raven-haired man who'd addressed him, "I don't know _why_ you'd think I'd be interested in stories about princesses and magic, but I'm not."

"How foolish of me," Sebastian closed the antique volume in his lap, regarding Ciel with be-spectacled ruby eyes, "then what what tale would you have me read? Rumpelstiltskin? Snow White and Rose Red? There's quite a few—"

"I've outgrown fairy tales, Sebastian," Ciel cut the older male off.

"Ah," Sebastian put the book down now, laying it on the ground atop his discarded tailcoat, "I see."

"What time is it?" Ciel demanded with a yawn. He was plucking the petals off a violet flower, twining its curly green stem around his forefinger. The little clearing was full of the small purple blooms; Sebastian had made Ciel a crown of them earlier.

"Does it really matter?"

"Sebastian."

"What time do you think it is, my lord?" Sebastian smiled at the dark-haired boy, dressed simply in tan riding shorts and a white button-down, sleeves rolled up; suspender straps had fallen down past Ciel's shoulders, but the boy made no move to adjust them.

"It looks like it's about an hour before dusk," Ciel ventured thoughtfully, "...or an hour after dawn."

"Precisely."

"Oh."

"My lord." Sebastian removed his glasses, stacking them over the book.

"Yes?" Ciel was staring off into the trees on the other side of the stream.

"Would you like to leave?"

"No."

There was nothing else to say for a while, and Sebastian sighed. Finally, he asked, "Well is thereanythingyou _would_ like to do?"

Ciel tossed his handful of petals into the stream, watching them scatter apart and float away. "I want to go swimming."

"Oh really," Sebastian remarked, a touch surprised.

Ciel nodded. He tilted his face up to the soft light.

"Do you know how?" Sebastian questioned, crawling like a jungle cat behind the blue-eyed boy to help remove his suspenders and unbutton his shirt.

"Not really," Ciel replied, unconcerned. "You'll teach me, won't you?"

"Naturally."

Ciel turned to say something to the red-eyed man, but the words died on his lips when Sebastian kissed him, soft and sweet as the violet petals that floated down the stream, amaranthine.


End file.
